Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1887-12-10
UNIFORM FREIGHT RATES.


the Dessrabtlfsy Of which as Urged by
sac snter-ssase Commission.
wAsHISGroy, Dec. 2.-The first ANIMAL
report Of the interstate commerce commits.
sion has been laid before the secretary of
the interior. After dwelling briefly upon
the magnitude of the interest which the
set undertakes to regulate, the commission
devotes dozen pages to historic sketch
Of the coentry's transportation facilities.
from the pack horse and canal of early days
10 the mammoth institutions of the present;
tracing back to their origin all those grew
anees and abuses which finally led to the
passage Of the interstate act. The commits
sion says some of the rail Dad practices
which the act undertakes to bring to an end
have been common among carriers
by water also, and if wrong in
themselves might justly be forbidden
in their case as we'll The commission is
Of the opinion that the express business
done by railroad companies themselves is
within the act. Whether express com
paniss which ARE independent OF the rail-
roads are within the contemplation of the
act is more doubtful. in regard to sleeping
car companies. live stock car companies
and oil companies which transport tank
ears, the commission say they are as much
subject 70 temptations to discriminate rs
railroads are, and the fact is laid before
congress for such action as it may choose to
take. The long and short haul clause ia
exhaustiyely discussed. together with the
reasons Of the commission for temporarily
suspending provisions in certain sections,
and they say, in part: THE considerations
which were influential in determining
when these temporary orders should be
granted were not more the relief OF carriers
from danger of loss than prevention Of
threatened disturbances of business IN
terests in certain localities, which, by its
reflex action, seemed liable TO embarrass
the entire country. The commission takes
pleasure in being able to report that in
large sections Of the country obedience TO
the general rule of the fourth section is
without important exception"
Reviewing railway operations during
the period which has elapsed since
the act took effect, the commission
says, that while less has been done in the
direction Of bringing freight tariffs into
conformity with the general rule prescribed
by the fourth section than some persons
expected, there has, nevertheless, been a
gratifying advance in that direction, and
there is every reason to believe that this
will continue.
The commission, after quoting the section
which empowers il to inquire into the BUSH
ness Of all common carriers says: This is
an important provision, and the commission
will no doubt have frequent occasion to take
action under it There is every reason to
believe that some Of the most serious evils
which were notorious in the railway service
before the passage of the act, and were in
legislative minds as reasons for its enact
ment, have now almost ceased to exist.
One Of these was the giving of special and
secret rebates. Complaints Of unjust dis
elimination and giving undue preferences
by even rates are still frequent, and in ex-
isting tariffs there are many rates which
az compared with Others made by the same
carriers, seem to be unfair and oppressive.
Being now compelled to justify their rates
when called on, the commission finds,
makes managers more cautious about do
ing injustice.
On the subject of complaints the report
says that in o majority of cases ''either the
complainant has been found to be mis-
taken in his facts. or if wronged, it has
been through the carelessness or mistake OF
an agent whica the carrier really cor
Tected.n
The commission urges the desirability Of
uniform freight classification through the
country, but it doubts the ability to reach
the matter by legislation, while, without il
there is gradual approach to uniformity
effected by the railroads themselves.
The commission says: 1.-The pooling o.
freights and of railroad earnings, 50 far a,
the commission has knowledge or informa-
tion on the subject, came to an end wheI
the act took effect, but as the pooling wa:
only one of the several pur.
poses had in view in forming rail
road associations. the leading associations
have not been dissolved, but have been con
tinued in existence for other objects
Among these objects are the making Of reg
ulations for uninterrupted and harmoniou!
railroad communication and the ex
change of traffic within the territ%,J
embraced by their workings Some reg
ulatiOns in addition to those made
by law are almost, if not altogether indis
pensable. Thus, while the seventh section
of the act forbids carriers preventing ship
ments from being continuous b,
the device of changing the time
OF schedules, carriage in diffeTen
cars. ETC., it has not undertaken TO provid
for the making of such time schedules a
would facilitate continuous shipment, or t
prescribe rules for Iosding, and the move
ment of cars for that purpose"